• TEQSA statement: Macleay College journalism courses

    Update: 12 April 2022

    On Friday 11 March 2022, Macleay College advised students and teachers by email that the College will be withdrawing its Diploma of Journalism and Bachelor of Journalism courses. TEQSA understands Macleay College has since informed students that the courses are continuing and students can stay enrolled at the college.

    TEQSA continues to engage with Macleay College in relation to their obligations and compliance with the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021, Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 and Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000.

    We are also continuing to communicate with students who have raised a concern with us. Any affected Macleay College student who wishes to raise a concern with TEQSA can do so via our website.

    Students are also encouraged to review advice from the Tuition Protection Service. 

    Previous statement (13 March 2022)

    TEQSA statement: Macleay College withdrawal of journalism courses

    TEQSA is seeking further information about the provider’s decision and support that is being offered to affected students to complete their studies.

    The timing and manner of how this was communicated by Macleay College to their students is also of concern to TEQSA. 

    Without prejudicing the outcome of our enquires, should TEQSA identify a breach of the Higher Education Standards Framework, we will take the appropriate enforcement action to ensure student interests and the standards are upheld. 

    Further information

    The Higher Education Standards Framework (2021) requires providers that cease offering a course to support students to complete the program or offer alternative arrangements.

    Macleay College students who believe they have been disadvantaged in the opportunity to complete their studies are encouraged to lodge a concern with TEQSA.  

    TEQSA’s approach to compliance and enforcement outlines action that can be taken in the event TEQSA determines there has been a breach of the Higher Education Standards Framework.

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  • Translated academic integrity resources for students

    TEQSA has launched a suite of resources in languages other than English to support students to better understand how to avoid illegal academic cheating services.

    Our existing Understanding Academic Integrity resources have been translated into Mandarin (Simplified Chinese), Hindi, Portuguese and Malay - four of the most common languages other than English spoken by students.

    This will further assist higher education students to develop an understanding of academic integrity; the risks commercial academic cheating services pose to students; the operation of Australia’s anti-cheating laws and how to identify, avoid and report illegal cheating services.

    TEQSA Chief Executive Officer Alistair Maclean said TEQSA’s student-focused resources had proved popular with students, with them being accessed more than 34,500 times since April 2021.

    “These student-focused resources are designed to complement the work taking place in Australian higher education institutions to strengthen students' understanding of academic integrity,” Mr Maclean said.

    “By producing translated resources we hope to support more students to develop a stronger understanding of Australia’s anti-cheating laws and how they can reduce the risks posed by illegal cheating services.” 

    Further information

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  • Sector update: Independent expert reviews

    TEQSA has published advice to assist providers when planning and conducting independent expert reviews.

    The update advises providers on planning independent expert reviews, reflecting on and responding to a review’s findings.

    It also outlines TEQSA’s approach to a provider’s own independent expert reviews, and how evidence and outcomes of reviews may contribute to a TEQSA regulatory process.

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  • Material promoting cheating services displayed on campuses

    TEQSA has issued a sector alert in response to new evidence showing commercial academic cheating services could be targeting students while on-campus.

    TEQSA's Higher Education Integrity Unit is concerned that some material posted around campuses offering “assignment help” is promoting, enabling or supplying commercial academic cheating services (also known as contract cheating).

    Under Australia’s anti-cheating laws, the promotion or sale of academic cheating services is illegal and subject to penalties of up to two years’ imprisonment and fines of up to $110,000. 

    All staff and students at Australian institutions are reminded that commercial academic cheating undermines the integrity of higher education. TEQSA has developed new presentation slides and posters to help share this message.

    More information

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  • TEQSA outlines compliance priorities for 2022

    TEQSA, Australia’s independent higher education regulator, has detailed its priorities for assuring compliance with the Higher Education Standards Framework for the year ahead.

    The agency’s priorities, outlined in the TEQSA 2021 compliance report, focus on teaching and research quality, sector integrity, student wellbeing and safety, and financial standing of higher education providers.

    TEQSA’s compliance priorities have been informed by complaints made directly to the agency, as well as TEQSA’s assessments from its regulatory activity and practices. 

    Last year, 289 concerns were lodged with TEQSA about Australian higher education providers, down on the 426 received in 2020. 

    TEQSA Chief Executive Alistair Maclean said complaints had spiked during 2020, largely due to the rapid shift to online delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “TEQSA has worked closely with the sector throughout the pandemic to ensure the continued high-quality of Australian higher education. We continue to engage with the sector to ensure online and on-campus courses meet the standards and deliver a high-quality student experience,” Mr Maclean said.

    Student wellbeing and safety will remain a key concern and compliance priority for TEQSA, including systemic issues relating to sexual assault and sexual harassment, mental health support and barriers for students with a disability.

    Complaints to TEQSA in 2021 about commercial academic cheating services increased from 23 in 2020 to 173 in 2021. This followed the establishment of TEQSA’s Higher Education Integrity Unit, and new laws in late 2020 that empowered TEQSA to take enforcement action against cheating services.

    Mr Maclean noted that during 2021 TEQSA also prioritised action against unregistered entities offering higher education to Australian students.  

    “It is illegal for entities not registered with TEQSA to offer higher education in Australia,” Mr Maclean said. 

    “Over the past year, TEQSA has investigated 9 unregistered entities, resulting in 3 ceasing to target Australian students. To help safeguard student interests, we’ve also published a list of known unregistered entities targeting Australian students on our website.”

    TEQSA encourages students considering a course of study to check TEQSA’s National Register to ensure their provider is registered and meets Australian standards for higher education. 

    The agency also encourages all higher education providers to review TEQSA’s compliance report and priorities for 2022, in order to inform their own risk management and quality assurance mechanisms.

    The Higher Education Standards Framework 2021 is a legislative instrument that sets the standards that a provider must meet and continue to meet to be registered to operate as a higher education provider in Australia. The standards are determined by the Minister for Education and Youth on the advice of the expert Higher Education Standards Panel. TEQSA uses the standards to regulate higher education providers and courses.

    Further information

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  • Joint statement of principles for the higher education sector COVID-19 response

    TEQSA welcomes and supports the Joint Statement of Principles for the Higher Education Sector COVID-19 Response that has been endorsed by the Australian Council of Professions (ACoP), Universities Australia (UA), the Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia (ITECA), the Australian Collaborative Education Network (ACEN) and the Independent Higher Education Australia (IHEA).

    The Joint Statement outlines consensus-based principles for the higher education sector adapting during the COVID-19 pandemic in the following areas:

    • accreditation flexibility and maintaining course quality
    • maintaining quality during changed teaching and learning
    • supporting online assessments while maintaining rigour
    • mitigating a reduced availability of professional placements
    • flexibility on (re-)registration/accreditation of professionals
    • maintaining international accords for professionals' mobility.

    As Australia’s independent quality assurance and regulatory agency for higher education, TEQSA will refer to the principles outlined in the Joint Statement as part of our course accreditation activities during this time. 

    This continues our approach to work closely with the higher education sector, including peak bodies and individual providers, to understand the wide-ranging effects of COVID-19 and how we can continue to provide supportive regulation, including flexibility and temporary regulatory relaxations where appropriate.

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  • TEQSA statement: National Student Safety Survey (2021)

    TEQSA thanks all students who participated in University Australia’s National Student Safety Survey (2021).

    Like many in the sector and wider community, TEQSA is concerned that university students are continuing to experience sexual assault or sexual harassment while studying.

    We’re also concerned that many students say they are unaware of how to access support services or complaints mechanisms within their institution.

    It is a requirement of the Higher Education Standards Framework (2021) for all registered providers to have in place appropriate policies and procedures to prevent and respond to allegations, reports or incidences of sexual assault or sexual harassment involving their students.

    TEQSA’s regulatory and quality assurance work is focused on the effectiveness of provider systems, processes, and approaches for preventing and responding to sexual assault or sexual harassment as part of our broader work to protect student wellbeing within Australian higher education.

    This includes assessing and building sector capacity through education, support and quality assessments. As part of this work, TEQSA has supported establishment of communities of practice for providers, and developed resources such as our Good Practice Note, to share best practice approaches to sexual assault and sexual harassment prevention and response within Australian higher education.

    TEQSA will continue to engage with the sector to ensure compliance with the Higher Education Standards Framework (2021), in particular standards 2.3 and 6.1.4 (student wellbeing) and standard 2.4 (student grievances and complaints) to safeguard student wellbeing.

    We have been monitoring university responses to the survey, and encourage all registered providers to review their policies and procedures and ensure that information on sexual assault or sexual harassment prevention and response, including how students can access support services or institutional complaints frameworks, are shared with all their students.

    While TEQSA is unable to investigate individual sexual assault or sexual harassment matters, we do look into concerns about how providers have responded to allegations, reports or incidences of sexual assault or sexual harassment.

    Any current or former students who have concerns about how a provider managed an allegation, report or incident can lodge a concern via our website.

     

    Further information:

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  • Continuing efforts to combat academic cheating services

    TEQSA Chief Commissioner Professor Peter Coaldrake AO has written to all Australian higher education providers, encouraging continued action to guard against the integrity risks posed by commercial academic cheating services.

    Professor Coaldrake’s letter noted that while TEQSA’s Higher Education Integrity Unit was continuing to lead efforts to combat the risk posed by illegal cheating services, institutions also need to remain vigilant and ensure they have appropriate governance, policies and procedures in place.

    Since 2021, TEQSA has successfully obtained Federal Court injunctions, investigated suspect websites, commenced intelligence-gathering and sharing with the sector and international partners, developed additional resources for academics, institutions and students and continued building relationships across Government to enable implementation of the anti-cheating legislation that came into effect in late 2020.

    TEQSA has also built productive relationships with major social media platforms and online marketplaces, with platforms including Meta (owners of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp), LinkedIn and Gumtree all taking action to remove pages and promotions for commercial academic cheating services. So far, TEQSA’s work with these companies has resulted in more than 300 posts being removed.

    Further information

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